1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a process for incorporating a micropulp in a polymer precursor, the resulting dispersion, polymer made from that dispersion, and articles made from that polymer.
2. Description of Related Art
Pulps, because of their fibrous nature, can be difficult to uniformly disperse in other materials. Many polymers can be enhanced by the addition of a pulp, and even very small additions of pulp can have a positive effect.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/295,455 filed Nov. 15, 2002 relates to a process for producing micropulp in a liquid component and discloses that liquid component can be an aqueous liquid, one or more liquid polymers, one or more solvents, or a combination thereof.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/295,341 filed Nov. 15, 2002 relates to coating compositions made from a dispersion of micropulp in a liquid component selected from the group consisting of an aqueous liquid, one or more liquid polymers, one or more solvents, or a combination thereof.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/401,347 filed on Mar. 28, 2003 relates to a liquid nail polish compositions containing micropulp wherein the micropulp is made in a nail polish resin system comprising a resin and a solvent.
U.S. patent application 60/462,236 filed on Apr. 11, 2003 relates to coating compositions and molded products containing acetoacetylated polyvinyl polymers and discloses a method of producing a molded article comprising mixing micropulp with a composition comprising acetoacetylated polyvinyl polymers, melting the polymers and then making a molded shape from the mixture of micropulp and polymer.
All of these references concern the formation and incorporation of a micropulp in a liquid polymer or a polymer solutioned in a solvent. However many polymers are not available in a useable liquid form, either due to high viscosity or because they are solid at room temperature, and some of these polymers are either not suited to be liquefied via thermal or other means.